The widespread use of abortion is a social problem and a matter of public health that affects the whole society and engages our future. The purpose of this seminar is to identify good practices for effective abortion prevention policies, particularly among young people.

Abortion is a public health problem

Every year in Europe, about 4 million women end their pregnancies; more than 30 million abortions were performed since 2010, representing a quarter of all births (Guttmacher Institute, Datta Center).

Abortion has considerable and undeniable cultural, demographic, economic and social consequences. 42% of women who had an abortion before the age of 25 go through a depression. Half of the women who had an abortion when they were minor suffer from suicidal thoughts. Women having had an abortion are three times more likely to suffer physical, mental or sexual abuse than women who went through their pregnancies.

It is possible to reduce the recourse to abortion

Abortion is not inevitable; many countries have managed to reduce the abortion rate thanks to prevention policies.

In Italy, for example, the number of abortions fell by 56% between 1982 and 2013, reaching 102,000 i.e. half the number of abortions in France for a country slightly smaller. Yet in Italy, abortion and contraceptive rates are among the lowest in Europe. In Germany, the official number of abortions declined from 135,000 to 99,000 between 2001 and 2015, in Latvia from 13,000 to less than 5,300 between 2004 and 2013, etc.

In the US, the teenage pregnancy rate was reduced by half between 1990 and 2010 thanks to a campaign centred on abstinence to value sexuality and human life, and to make teenagers aware of their responsibilities. The number of high school seniors declaring to be abstainers has doubled from 33% to 66%, causing a reduction of two thirds of abortions among young people, a decline of STDs and an improvement in their emotional and psychological balance.

Many concrete preventative measures need to be implemented, aiming in particular at better educating young people, to help women and empower fathers.

Reducing the recourse to abortion should be a priority

Reducing the recourse to abortion is also an obligation contracted in international law. Most of European States have committed themselves to support family, motherhood and children "before as well as after birth" (Convention on the Rights of the Child), to "reduce the recourse to abortion" and to "take appropriate steps to help women avoid abortion" (Cairo Conference). The Council of Europe also called on European states to "promote a more pro-family attitude in public information campaigns and provide counselling and practical support to help women where the reason for wanting an abortion is family or financial pressure." (PACE, 2008).

This event was co-sponsored by Sallux*, the Fondation Jérôme Lejeune & Alliance Vita.

*Since 2011, the activities of Sallux have been financially supported by the European Parliament. The liability for any communication or publication by Sallux, in any form and any medium, rests with Sallux. The European Parliament is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

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ECLJ

The European Centre for Law and Justice is an international, Non-Governmental Organization dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights in Europe and worldwide. The ECLJ holds special Consultative Status before the United Nations/ECOSOC since 2007.

The ECLJ engages legal, legislative, and cultural issues by implementing an effective strategy of advocacy, education, and litigation. The ECLJ advocates in particular the protection of religious freedoms and the dignity of the person with the European Court of Human Rights and other mechanisms afforted by the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and others.

The ECLJ bases its action on "the spiritual and moral values which are the common heritage of European peoples and the true source of individual freedom, political liberty and the rule of law, principles which form the basis of all genuine democracy" (Preamble of the Statute of the Council of Europe).